Harrow actor Dev Patel has scooped the first of what is hoped to be many awards for his role in Danny Boyle film Slumdog Millionaire.

Dev, 18, was named best actor at the annual Critics' Choice Awards today, while the movie scooped five gongs in total, including best picture.

The film follows impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik, played by Dev, as he becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Dev did not attend the star-studded award ceremony in Santa Monica, California, where Danny Boyle was also named best Director and AR Rahman and Simon Beaufoy, won best composer and best writer respectively.

The Broadcast Film Critics Association, representing more than 200 film critics in the US and Canada, voted for the awards, and Dev has been tipped to win an Oscar this year.